"Do whatcha gotta do, so you can do whatcha wanna do!"
                                                ----Reverend Run

Period 1
English 12AP

We enjoyed a productive three days of preparing coats of arms and the essays to accompany them.  All is due on Friday, 12-21-12.  

Periods 3 and 4
English 12CP

We have left the Middle Ages behind and are now acquainting ourselves with the Renaissance world view.  There was a quiz today on the introductory information.  Tomorrow, there is a word quiz.  Be familiar with words from exhume to propinquity.  Finally, all final drafts of thesis statements, outlines, and works cited pages must be in to me.  NO STUDENT WILL BE ALLOWED TO HAND IN A ROUGH DRAFT OF THE RESEARCH PAPER UNTIL ALL PREVIOUS STEPS HAVE BEEN TURNED IN!!

That being said, have a great night; I hope to see you all tomorrow!

“It is difficult to get the news from poems, yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there.” 
― William Carlos Williams

English 12 CP/Periods 3 and 4

Here are the vocabulary words you will need to be familiar with for the quiz on Thursday, 12-20-12.

exhume (v):  to remove from a grave; to bring to light
intractable (adj):  hard to manage; stubborn; not responsive to discipline
adumbrate (v):  to foreshadow vaguely; to give a sketchy outline or to disclose partially
verdant (adj):  green in tint or color; immature in experience or judgment
nefarious (adj):  wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards
murky (adj):  dark, gloomy, obscure; lacking in clarity and precision
viscous (adj):  having a gelatinous or glory quality; lacking in easy movement or fluidity
piquant (adj):  stimulating to the taste or mind; spicy, pungent; appealingly provocative
primordial (adj):  developed or created at the very beginning; going back to the most ancient times or earliest stage
unwonted (adj):  not usual or expected; not in character
utopian (adj):  founded upon or involving a visionary view of an ideal world; impractical
propinquity (n):  nearness in place or time; kinship

Also, to ensure that everyone is up-to-date with their daily words, the following are from 12-10-12 to today, 12-17-12:

atrophy (n):  the wasting away of a body organ or tissue; any progressive decline or failure
bastion (n):  a fortified place; a stronghold
verbiage (n):  language that is too wordy or inflated in proportion to the sense or content
asseverate (v):  to affirm earnestly and with emphasis
concord (n):  state of agreement, harmony
grouse (v):  to complain or grumble
disarray (n):  disorder and confusion
flotsam (n):  floating debris; homeless, impoverished people
consummate (adj):  complete or perfect in the highest degree
glean (v):  to gather bit by bit; to gather small quantities of grain left by reapers
exigency (n):  urgency; pressure or a pressing need
frenetic (adj):  frantic, frenzied, highly agitated

WHEW!! I guess there will be another quiz after our Christmas break.  Anyway, stay warm and cozy and study well.  See you all tomorrow.

WORDS OF THE DAY:  

11-27-12> distraught (adj):  very much agitated or upset as a result of emotional or mental conflict
11-28-12> dissemble (v):  to disguise or conceal; deliberately give a false impression
11-29-12> exhume (v):  to remove from a grave; to bring to light
11-30-12> intractable (adj):  hard to manage; not responsive to discipline; stubborn
12-3-12> adumbrate (v):  to foreshadow vaguely; to give a sketchy outline or to disclose partially
            > verdant (adj):  green in tint or color; immature in experience or judgment

Period 1
English 12AP

We are solidly entrenched in the alliterative poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.  Tomorrow, we begin reading Fitt 3 as a class.  Today, students received copies of an excerpt from Joseph Campbell's Thou Art That in which he relates a connection between Sir Gawain's journey and the universal idea of an individual's responsibility to seek his own, unique path.  In addition, I distributed the remainder of the study guide questions for the poem.

Homework:  Continue independent reading and work on the character analysis essay due on Wednesday, 12-12-12.  Also, study for the word quiz scheduled for Friday, 12-7-12.  

Periods 3 & 4
English 12CP

Today, students worked in groups with other students who are writing a research paper on the same book.  I hope that this activity provides an opportunity to learn from one another and share ideas about their books.

Homework:  Rough drafts of thesis/outline/works cited page are due on Thursday, 12-6-12.  Also, study for word quiz scheduled for Friday, 12-7-12.